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Our Association can be very thankful that our Membership committee is back home recovering from a very frightening life experience. Greg and Carolyn Knop were in Cancun, Mexico last month, vacationing when Greg decided to check out the bottom of the ocean with his face while swimming at the beach. A wave literally threw him head first into the bottom! Greg thought he had broken his neck. His arms and legs were numb and his body would not respond. Subsequent waves kept pounding on him and he was virtually at the mercy of the ocean.
Greg and Cathy Gergets, CIWGA members, were vacationing with the Knops, when Greg G. saw that his friend, Greg, was in serious trouble in the water trying to get out the words "help" but couldn't. Greg G, having had emergency rescue training, immediately grabbed onto Greg K and saved him from drowning. We always knew that our Association had super members and Greg G is definitely a hero. (Secretly, I keep thinking that Greg G realized how much Greg K does for CIWGA and saved him so that we still have a great Membership committee chair. :-) Thank you Greg Gergets for bringing Greg K back to us!!)
Greg K. is doing okay with pain in his upper body. More tests this coming week will reveal whether Greg will have to have surgery on some vertebra. We are glad you are back with us Greg K and thank you Greg G for being there when needed. I know that Greg will want to personally tell this very frightening experience with us when he can.
Greg Gerjets story is even more bizarre because only a few days prior (also in Cancun), he and his wife Cathy had saved a little girl from drowning by giving CPR. Talk about heroes. We get to say that we know them and they are our friends -- don't we? Greg and Cathy, you can go vacationing with me anytime!!
As I reported to the membership at our February meeting, I have been asking ponderers what type of program would be the most beneficial to them. The majority answer that they want to see an actual pond being installed. Well, the CIWGA has started the ball rolling on upgrading and installing the water garden at Bethany Manor in Story City. We have and are still talking donations for this project. So far most of the donations were given at our December meeting. We did this instead of a gift exchange in the Xmas spirit. Most everybody donated. For those that have not had a chance to donate can do so by sending (or bringing to a meeting) your donation to Denice Reisetter (Treasurer CIWGA), 336 Penn Ave., Story City, IA 50248.
This project should serve as a good demonstration garden this spring on "how to install". Of course, we will need help in taking out the old cement pond and putting in the new rubber liner. We also want to accommodate those that what to observe. The people that are serving on this committee are; Denice and Larry Reisetter, Mike Stewart, Dean Koob, Kenn Outzen and Gretchen Triplett.
I am in the process of asking ponderers if they are interested in placing their pond on The Central Iowa Tour of Water Gardens (July 20 and 21). This will be the 7th annual tour and we are going to tour two days, like last year. Gardens in Boone, Ames, Ankeny, Altoona and surrounding areas are going to be targeted. So, if you know of anybody that would like to be on the tour in those areas (it can be your own garden) please contact me. Even a nice water garden in those areas that you have heard about, please call or email.
Now, for our program for this month. Bill Boon, retired Professor of Landscape Architecture, has agreed to do a program on "Integrating Materials in the Landscape with the Water Garden in Mind". I am very pleased that Bill is going to be doing this for us. He is a very dynamic speaker, many years of professional experience, lots of audiovisual aids that he uses and he just plain knows what he is going to be talking about. Bill travels all over the US doing presentations and we are extremely lucky to have him presenting to us. I might mention that Bill has been a member of our Association from the get-go. You may remember that he was the very first recipient of the care and nurturing of Lizzy, our mascot. I still have visions of him doing a backstroke in his pond with the power cord dangling in the water.
The Monday, March 11 meeting will start promptly at 7:00 PM at the Alliant Facility. Bill has been there several times so I know, that he knows, how to find it. (Whew!!). For those that have not been there is a map at the end of this newsletter.
Spring is just about here and most of us are already thinking about our ponds. I am hopeful that most of you will want to talk ponds at our meeting. As always, bring your questions and we will answer them.
The Big Toad, Jamie